COOKING POTS OF STEATITE. 99 



ciated with the large mortars and cooking vessels, to which we will shortly 

 call attention. 



Closely allied in use, although widely different in shape, are certain 

 slabs of steatite of various sizes, for which the name ''plate" has been sug- 

 gested. These were called by the men employed by Dr. Yarrow Tortilla 

 plates, they seeming to understand what use they had been put to by the 

 Indians. These interesting utensils, as represented by the series collected, 

 generally exhibit traces of exposure to fire upon the under surface, which 

 is convex in many of the specimens. This indication of exposure to fire, 

 taken in connection with the position of the one large hole drilled in each 

 specimen, and the presence of a shallow rim extending around the sides 

 of some of the quadrangular specimens — in some instances omitted on 

 the end opposite that which is perforated — point conclusively, we think, 

 to the fact of their having been used as pans for baking, being practically 

 the same as modern " griddles," which at this time are largely made of the 

 same material.* In this connection, it is well to add that the hole at one 

 end was doubtlessly used, in connection with a crooked stick, as a means 

 of drawing them from the fire. 



Of a series of ten specimens, from the same general locality, each has 

 a hole so placed as to give nearly or quite the maximum surface for spread- 

 ing the food to be cooked. When a slab of steatite has been chosen for 

 making one of these pans de novo, it is quite flat, regular, and usually quad- 

 rangular in shape, somewhat tapering at the perforated end, and with a 

 carefully wrought rim slightly raised above the general surface. Such 

 specimens have a slight convexity of the under surface. Many of these 

 utensils are, however, evidently fragments of the larger steatite pots, such as 

 we have just described The curvature of many of these pans is the same 

 as the sides of the larger examples of the cooking pots ; and as they are quite 

 irregular in outline, without marginal rims, which is replaced by the greater 

 concavity of the upper surface, and have the hole for the supposed hook- 

 handle variously placed, as determined by the outline of the slab, it is safe 

 to infer that they are utilized fragments of large cooking pots. 



*llr. Schumacher proposes the name of comali for these stones, on which tho tortillas, or thin 

 cakes of bread made from various vegetable substances, were baked, somewhat after the manner of tho 

 Southern hoecake. — F. W. P. 



